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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Do you consider any of these names American in origin?

154 replies

Wilderwood · 25/07/2026 08:17

Girls:
Harper
Lainey
Autumn
Madison
Delaney

Boys:
Hudson
Cooper
Hunter
Grayson

And not that it’s a bad thing! But husband says my choices are quite American 🇺🇸 so please help settle this debate.
Open to suggestions

thank you ☺️

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hahabahbag · 25/07/2026 22:16

All very American. The whole surname as a first name is typically American. I’ve never met a kid with any of those names in the U.K. in real life whereas most of those names were in one or other of my DD’s classes in the USA.

DefiantRabbit9 · 25/07/2026 22:14

To me all except Autumn sound very American. My DH is american and he was horrified the name Hunter is on the list LOL.

Shloopie · 25/07/2026 22:13

I think they all have an American vibe. I quite like Lainey and Cooper. Dislike Autumn and Hunter (that will always be a Gladiator to me!)

There's a significant chunk of MNetters who have a strong aversion/snobbery against anything that sounds vaguely American. They think all children should be called Edith or Percival. It's ok not to agree with this! 😂

Of your husband's choices I like Kasia and Thea (I'd expect Kasia to be Polish though). Octavia is horrific.

Oldwmn · 25/07/2026 22:07

Seagulldancing · 25/07/2026 08:24

Most would be considered surnames to me, so follow the American tradition of using surnames as first names.

Boys often had surnames as first names in 19th century.

Grendel7 · 25/07/2026 21:54

Wilderwood · 25/07/2026 10:16

Just to clarify absolutely nothing wrong with sounding American which I obviously have a leaning towards. I like modern, non classic or traditional names. I actually work in America and the thing is the list of names I’ve written aren’t obvs American names when you’re in America (if that makes sense) so it’s interesting to get a British perspective who might not be travelling or living in America.

My husband likes…
Kassia
Thea
Octavia (which I cannot get on board with 🤣)

Divorce him.

Grendel7 · 25/07/2026 21:54

Molm · 25/07/2026 10:07

Yes they are all very American.

Madison literally means Maud's son.

All your boy names are surnames. American by way of Scotland, really. I quite like occupation surnames but I think you should modernise. Forget Cooper, why not Binman, or Plumber?

Dentist?

Love your ideas!

Grendel7 · 25/07/2026 21:49

Wilderwood · 25/07/2026 08:17

Girls:
Harper
Lainey
Autumn
Madison
Delaney

Boys:
Hudson
Cooper
Hunter
Grayson

And not that it’s a bad thing! But husband says my choices are quite American 🇺🇸 so please help settle this debate.
Open to suggestions

thank you ☺️

They all are!! Americans choose surname for forenames as they have no imagination.

ScotiaLass · 25/07/2026 21:46

People are saying that they all sound American apart from Autumn, but Autumn is a popular name in the US and has been in the top 100 baby names every year since the early 1990s. On the other hand I've never heard of a child called Autumn in the UK.

Pistachiocake · 25/07/2026 21:43

Yes, a lot of them remind me of American names from films when I was a teenage. Not saying that's a bad thing though.
A lot of American names seemed to be more popular there first, eg Cara/Ashley/Madison etc, as in I'd expect American people with those names to be older than a British child with the same name.

Thistimearound · 25/07/2026 21:41

Yes all very American, even Autumn. I know the season isn’t called Autumn in the US but the only person I can think of with that name is North American - eg Peter Philips’ ex wife - who I am now reading is Canadian.

I know you say that the names wouldn’t be seen as overly American in the US, but I’m not sure what you mean by that. Maybe it’s more than most people in the US assume that their naming styles are similar to naming styles in other English speaking countries?

Sugarandpumpkinspice · 25/07/2026 21:37

My (half American) niece is Delaney but it rhymes with Melanie rather than the surname. They do all sound American but no harm in that, love Autumn. I would rather your husband's choices of Kassia or Thea though.

BruFord · 25/07/2026 21:04

SetTheWorldOnFire84 · 25/07/2026 21:01

Not remotely American, but very Australian

@SetTheWorldOnFire84 Most of them are also here in the US!

SetTheWorldOnFire84 · 25/07/2026 21:01

Not remotely American, but very Australian

Emma8888 · 25/07/2026 20:27

All American except Autumn. I’ve also met several (American) girls called Hunter too.

CurlewKate · 25/07/2026 20:25

They all sound very American to me.

CatVester · 25/07/2026 20:24

These names are definitely not socially neutral! But I think that might be area-dependent.

wobinwedbweast · 25/07/2026 20:24

@Wilderwood Well, you did ask…

Ilikesundays · 25/07/2026 20:23

Harper is the Beckhams’ daughter’s name. Grayson is the first name of Grayson Perry the artist. Otherwise, much more common as first names in the USA than the UK.

SanFairyAnnie · 25/07/2026 20:16

I would always choose a classic name over the ones on your list. Sorry.

Rubberduck76 · 25/07/2026 20:08

Personally, I think they all sound American apart for Autumn.

IDontHateRainbows · 25/07/2026 19:51

Madison literally is, after the mermaid in Splash who was named after Madison avenue in new York, can't get much more American than that.

Papyrophile · 25/07/2026 19:49

I don't actively dislike any of those names, and I also think they sound quite neutral socially. Which was one of my considerations when naming our son 27 years ago. His name is still a classic, it has several abbreviations in standard use, and he shares it with our current King. It's also a family choice for both of our families.

BruFord · 25/07/2026 19:42

I live in the US and they sound very American to me, I know children here with those names (except for Delaney, I've never heard that one).

My friend's dog is called Thea so although it's pretty, I think it sounds canine!

SuchiRolls · 25/07/2026 19:40

I know girls in my children’s classes that have all of those names (I’m in the UK), apart from Delaney and Autumn. Delaney sounds very American to me. All the boys names sound American but also Australian. My husband is Aussie.

MrsMoastyToasty · 25/07/2026 19:35

Cooper is an old English name for a person who makes barrels.